German foreign minister: prepared to play a part in monitoring border crossings

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild: "Together with our European partners we are prepared to play a part - for example with an EU mission to monitor border crossings. We are holding intensive talks with all sides to work out what would be necessary for this."

Steinmeier said those things in response to his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman who said that "Israel did not want to govern Gaza again but a solution was needed for the people who live there. And Germany should take responsibility as the leader of such a mission".

Germany has traditionally seen itself as a protector of Israel, mindful of the Holocaust of Europe's Jews committed by Nazi Germany in World War Two.

"I don't know if only having customs officers with the same arms as police will be enough to get things under control," he said.